However, if you intend to work with a hard money lender or utilize a short-term loan product, you're on the clock for repayment, which can be stressful if things go sideways. 

Refinances are still active, slim pickings but some players are out there who are direct lenders, flip loans are also available (75-100K) min property other than conventional and gov backed loans.  

5k a I don’t mind if it takes a few years, and I’m willing to be as actively involved as needed to achieve my goals.

Our community is actively identifying and investing in off-market deals, sharing the cost of virtual assistants and direct mail, sponsoring deals, investing our own capital, and having multiple group calls and webinars every week with institutional analysts, real estate and SEC attorneys, regional banks, private lenders, and other experts specifically to discuss and analyze deals within the community.

(You are automatically an affiliate when you sign up) That being said, I'm not a very active affiliate.

If they are actively buying for themselves are they really looking out for your best interests or their own?  

Like @Charles LeMaireand @Justin Kane mentioned Joe Fairless and @Theo Hicks have a great book that goes over every step of the process on how to become an apartment syndicator.Are you looking for a more active or passive approach?

What's the process of getting retro-active permits on work like this?

It depends.If you find a PM that is willing only to do some task becaue you're still very involved then go for price.If you're looking for a PM that will ease the stress to where you forget you're even a landlord then quality of service is key not price.

Because I'm here, active in the market and I do NOT want every fool rushing in and ruining it for me and my clients.